Hover Multiple Launch Rocket System
The Hover Multiple Launch Rocket System (Hover MLRS) was a fast attack vehicle used by the Global Defense Initiative during the Second Tiberium War and the Firestorm Crisis. Background These mobile rocket launcher systems were developed after the First Tiberium War and were designed to replace the aging M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System which had served with distinction during the earlier conflicts against the Brotherhood of Nod. The Hover MLRS had heavier armor than the previous version, although not as much as either the Titan or the Tick Tank. Its main advantage, instead, was from GDI's use of HoverTech to propel the MLRS. No longer would the vehicle be forced to remain on land. This unit could also maneuver in calm bodies of water, crossing rivers or even entire oceans if necessary. Furthermore, this means that the Hover MLRS unit was also quite fast, making it an able scout. However, there were also disadvantages with this approach. For one, the advanced Hover drive failed when exposed to the massive charged particle bursts of an ion storm, rendering the unit little more than a missile turret. Should the unit be over water, it would inevitably sink, becoming unrecoverable. Second, the Hover MLRS' missiles were not extremely powerful against most units. Unlike the previous incarnation, the Hover MLRS had little capacity against infantry and only a moderate capacity against vehicles and aircraft. It should be noted, however, that the Hover MLRS units were GDI's only mobile air defense (with the exception of the Mammoth Mk. II, but it was not very effective against aircraft to begin with) against most Nod aircraft attacks. Deployments The first major deployment of these vehicles was during GDI's mission to retake the captured Hammerfest base where the Hover MRLS's ability to travel the waterways allowed them to avoid Nod land patrols. This played a pivotal role in the successful recapture of the base. From that moment on, the Hover MLRS gained wide acceptance within GDI ranks, and were subsequently deployed in a number of engagements, including GDI's attack on CABAL's main cyborg production facility. Legacy After the Firestorm Crisis, the Hover MLRS production was discontinued due to the aforementioned weaknesses and its grossly expensive production costs it has been withdrawn from active duty. Its mission role had since been taken over by the CC-6 Pitbull recon vehicle which served in a capacity as anti-aircraft support. Despite this being the case, the Hover MRLS lacked any true successor to the design, though the benefit within the Pitbull was the recon vehicles capacity to work properly in an ion storm, thus making it a cheaper alternative as well as possessing more powerful rockets, but lacked any amphibious capabilities. Many of the elements of the technology behind the Hover MLRS such as its hover technology were later incorporated in the design of the Slingshot and Shatterer vehicles. In the aftermath of the Scrin invasion, GDI began to work on creating a true successor to the Hover MLRS which later came to be known as the AHV-8 Sandstorm, which saw service by the time of the Fourth Tiberium War. In-game unit Although it can only fire few rockets at once, these rockets are often deadly to Nod Harpies. These rockets can track the target for a surprisingly long range. Once softened up by these salvos, Nod aircraft can usually be finished off by lighter rocket units. Pair these with Titans, Wolverines, and a Mammoth MK.II for maximum effectiveness. Assessment Pros *Amphibious *Effective against vehicles, aircraft and buildings *Reasonably cheap ($900) *Immune to veins *Outranges laser turrets and Vulcan cannons Cons *Weak armour *Ineffective against infantry *Vulnerable to anti-vehicle units *Cannot move during ion storms Gallery File:GDI Hover MLRS.jpg|Render Image:Hover_MLRS_01.jpg|Render Image:Hover_MLRS_02.jpg|Render Image:Hover_MLRS_03.jpg|Render Image:Hover_MLRS_04.jpg|Render Videos File:C%26C_Tiberian_Sun_-_Ice_Skate|Intercepting a Nod convoy on a bridge Trivia *The Hover MLRS does not seem to have a uniformed missile capacity. Renders show eight missile slots on each side of the turret, while the cameo shows six missile slots on each side, and ingame voxel shows only three slots, but whether the upper and lower rows are merged in the voxel cannot be determined for sure. *The Hover MLRS resembles the AAC-2 Hovertank from the Star Wars franchise. Category:Tiberian Sun vehicles Category:Tiberian Sun GDI Arsenal